Are No-Code or SaaS Solutions Better Than Custom Software Development?

Thanks to the rising popularity of software-as-a-service solutions over the last decade, some businesses are moving away from developing software internally, instead preferring to use configurable SaaS solutions.

A recent article on over-used buzzwords (which included AI, see our previous post on our thoughts on this!), also included no-code or low-code on the list.

The idea that a solution is “no-code” is a fallacy. When you use a no-code solution, what you really mean is, you’re relying on someone else’s code.

In our experience, organisations which implement SaaS products as a mechanism for running no-code or low-code solutions result in some undesirable outcomes.

First is cost. SaaS isn’t always cheap and depending on the solution and number of users, you may end up with a seven-figure licensing bill which is more expensive than your small team of developers and infrastructure combined. Even if it is cheaper, you still need technical people to manage the SaaS solution, meaning the original people you were trying to replace are usually still required.

Secondly is rigidity. SaaS solutions may have good configurability and even extensibility, but they are ultimately designed for a purpose e.g. running a sales team or a call centre. So, if your business doesn’t fit the mould of what it was designed for, you either need to make very complex configurations and custom-coded extensions to “make it work”, or you need to shape your business around the technology. Neither is ideal.

Thirdly is security. A solution hosted within an organisation, used only within the organisation, is less susceptible to attacks from outside the organisation. If you have an internal team using a SaaS product, that data is inherently on a public cloud, so greater attention must be paid to security policies, and governance of data such as what country the data centre resides.

Of course, it’s not all gloomy. SaaS products designed for your specific business are much more plug-and-play than building something from scratch and is inherently supported by a larger team of people.

In summary, if you have a business problem which has a SaaS solution investigate whether it’s right for you and your business. Just don’t be too quick to assume any SaaS product is preferable over a custom software development solution.  You may find that you can get something twice as suitable for half the price.